Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 373 That person looks like a dog

Lu Yang guest-starred as assistant director today, directing the scene with a walkie-talkie, which made Guo Fan beside him look resentful.

I speak so nicely, why doesn't it sound good to the guide?

Am I not qualified to be the assistant director?!
In fact, Boss Lu didn't think so much about it. He was simply afraid that the foreign crew members on the scene wouldn't understand him because he spoke English with an accent.

"Lighting team, the top light in area A is set to 5500K, and the softbox in area B is tilted 15 degrees to the right."

"Roger that!"

"Props team, push the file box forward half a meter to reveal a close-up of the word 'rape' on the third page of the manuscript. Yes, tape the lower right corner with blu-tack!"

"Roger that!"

Lu Yang glanced at the shooting plan in his hand again, turned back and asked with his eyes about the width of the road in front of the monitor.

The latter nodded, and Lu Yang immediately changed the loudspeaker.

"Scene 35, first shot, first take, begin!"

The humming sound of the air-conditioning vent was cut into pieces by the sound of Liu Yifei's heels.

She stood in front of the fire door of the studio, her index finger unconsciously stroking the pen in her trouser pocket - it was Zhang Chunru's Montblanc 149, with two bite marks on the pen clip.

The Nanjing Massacre archive boxes reproduced by the prop team were piled at her feet. The smell of ink mixed with the preservative smell of the pine boxes was like someone had stuffed a rusty thumbtack into her nostrils.

"Action!" The guidance sounded, and Xiao Liu instantly immersed himself in the role, his eyes sharp, and he stepped over the threshold with his left foot.

The Steadicam cameraman stepped back half a step, and the camera started to move upward from her straight ankle:
The pleats of the black trousers were as sharp as a knife, and the loose thread of the third button of the silk shirt turned into silver threads under the hard light of 5600K.

Her fingers slid across the edge of the file box, and her nails scraped against the pine wood texture, making a "squeak" sound.

Boss Lu nodded slightly in front of the monitor. This was a good detail that reflected the character's nervousness and anger.

The camera followed her vertically and horizontally, moving across three Chinese faces in the audience, perfectly portraying the same emotional state.

These three are Ms. Chang Chun-ru and her parents.

Lu Kuan had a unique idea and let the real prototype of the biographical film sit in the audience to watch the actor's performance.

He didn't even need to specifically instruct the female writer on how to cooperate with the camera, express emotions, and give feedback;
How can she express her and her parents' indignation as Chinese people towards the Japanese ambassador's sophistry and refusal to apologize during the debate later?

Concubine Liu Yi was already standing on the stage.

Under the arrangement of the young director, the camera once again dramatically shifted between the two "Iris Chang" on and off the stage, for just a brief moment.

This is the director's personal wish. He wants Ms. Zhang Chunru in this life to participate in the movie in this way to fulfill her long-cherished wish.

Flashback room——

Zhang Chunru, sitting in the audience, had her back as straight as a pine or cypress, the collar of her white shirt neatly tied under her navy blue suit jacket, and her left ring finger unconsciously stroking the edge of the leather notebook in her hand.

Concubine Liu Yi on the stage had her hair ends just brushing past her collarbone, like a carefully carved right angle, her brows as steep as if cut by a knife, her pair of phoenix eyes always looking straight ahead, with turbulent and calm emotions floating in the depths of her irises.

The two kind and persistent Chinese women who appeared in 2007 and who should not have been in the same time and space, had their souls connected in this way through the lens of the time traveler.

Perhaps many years later, when this new generation of Asian film master reaches the top, this fleeting clip will become a classic in film history like the final kiss montage in "Cinema Paradiso".

At this moment, 39-year-old Zhang Chunru was sitting there, looking affectionately at the 20-year-old girl on the stage, her eyes full of the shadow of her own youth.

After a brief introduction by the host, Liu Yifei opened the session with questions.

His index finger tapped the edge of the file box, the nail making a short "tapping" sound as it collided with the wooden board. "On December 1937, 12, the Sixth Division massacred over 13 people at Zhongshan Wharf."

Her voice suddenly cracked, and she rolled her throat twice before continuing, "Are you going to deny even the date?"

Lu Yang and Guo Fan clenched their fists in the audience. This scene had already made them look forward to the subsequent performance.

Both of them have seen Xiao Liu's classic roles. Today was the first time they watched her perform live, but they didn't expect her to be at such a consummate level.

As directors, even those in training, their main professional habit and specialty is observing actors.

Compared with other young actresses in mainland China, the gap in acting skills between her and them seems to be as huge as a chasm.

While there were rumors in the entertainment industry that some young actresses were still relying on eye drops to squeeze out tears, Liu Yifei in front of us had already demonstrated acting skills that made it look effortless.

Guo Fan frowned and shook his head, as if trying to get rid of the thoughts that had just come to his mind.

Judging from this short one-minute performance, perhaps those young female stars are not qualified to compare with Liu Yifei at all?

The actresses she is competing against are already at another level.

Boss Lu in front of the monitor also clenched his fists, his palms slightly sweating.

He never thought that the first one would go so smoothly.

From the moment he gets into the state when he appears, to the detailed processing of the fingernail scratching across the hard cover of the file.

Then there was the rolling of the throat and the hoarse ending for a few seconds.

He asked himself if he could find any mistakes.

Even though this was a topic-based essay, what Liu Yifei wrote was almost the best answer, and even the punctuation was perfect.

The heated debate entered the middle stage, and the Steadicam began to shoot in a surround manner.

Concubine Liu Yi on the stage was stunned, knowing that her test had come.

She tried her best to recall the movements and rehearsals she had made day and night over the past few days, and Lu Kuan's guidance and tips emerged in her mind at this moment.

Spatial perception and movement – ​​imagine Joe Pesci’s nightclub scene in Goodfellas, where his drunken movement is all muscle memory;
The interactive intuition of props—the trajectory of the shattered glass when De Niro smashes it in Raging Bull, Meryl Streep’s invisible evidence-gathering movements in the courtroom scene in Kramer vs. Kramer;

Anchor points for breathing: Each questioning phrase corresponds to a specific breathing pattern, and you should pay attention to the breath like Peter Finch's roar in "Network";

Also, in long shots, how is the character's attention and performance emphasis distributed? Where is the point where emotions accumulate and where is the focus of vision?

These thoughts seemed to flash through Xiao Liu's mind for only a moment. His body trembled slightly, and his eyes involuntarily swept to Zhang Chunru in the audience.

She knew she was sitting there.

Then the mind suddenly became clear.

She clattered on her high heels to the hideous-looking Saito Kunihiko, pressed the skull X-ray in front of him, and scratched the "8.7 centimeters" data with her nails, making a high-pitched noise. "Do you want me to convert it to inches?"

"Or what you consider an apology, and we haven't heard a single one yet?"

Japanese Ambassador to the United States Kunihiko Saito swallowed his saliva, and the actor Ken Watanabe was stunned for a moment. He was surprised by the explosive power of this Chinese actress.

This top actor is known for his ever-changing images and tenacious spirit. "Film Junpo" commented that he "seems to have millions of masks and can easily deceive the hearts of the audience."

Liu Yifei's acting skills reached a new level in this scene, but in the eyes of his opponent Watanabe Ken, it only amazed him.

At this point in the debate, facing Concubine Liu Yi's relentless pressure, he had no choice but to use the usual shameless rhetoric of a sophist:
"Regarding the Nanjing incident, we believe that perhaps something unfortunate did happen there, and perhaps some members of the military committed violent acts."

"No!"

"We don't want this kind of empty talk or evasiveness! We want an apology! Please repeat what I just said!"

Every word Liu Yifei spoke had an aura that completely overshadowed the high-ranking Japanese official in front of her.

The two were still talking, and Xiao Liu's performance on the stage was nearing its end. This extremely difficult one-shot segment seemed to be miraculously close to completion.

At this moment, Zhang Chunru's lips were moving in the audience, and she was already crying.

At this moment, she seemed to have her ears blocked, her eyes were hazy, and she vaguely saw another self making a resounding statement in this time and space.

A warm current lingered in my heart, and my whole body seemed to be healed.

All the crew members, reporters, the two assistant directors who made guest appearances, the Hollywood stars who were going to attend the brief press conference after the filming was completed, and of course Xiao Liu's elderly mother -

Regardless of whether they understood the situation or just wanted to see the fun, everyone watched intently from the moment she entered the PBS studio until she refuted Kunihiko Saito and left the scene with a gloomy face.

"Click! Passed!"

"It was done in one take!"

Boss Lu added this in a rare move, shaking his head as he watched the replay, seemingly in disbelief.

He was prepared to take one or two days to shoot today's scene, but how could he have expected that Xiao Liu could actually pull it off in just one take?
But when I think of her constant rehearsals and preparations over the past year, and her almost torn notebook filled with details of the performance, I realize that she has been doing this all the time.

Thinking about the hardships she went through for this movie, I walked the path that the character Zhang Chunru took.

Perhaps this result is fair and reasonable——

She has transformed herself into Zhang Chunru. Is it possible to rehearse anyone's life?
Everyone’s every day is a one-shot shoot.

So every word, every expression, and every movement she made in front of the camera has become a natural reaction and memory of her mind and muscles.

It's almost out of the realm of performance.

It was as if thunder exploded in the quiet night sky, and the audience burst into thunderous applause, for both Liu Yifei and Zhang Chunru.

The reporters present seemed to have traveled back to that tense afternoon. At this moment, they were both the audience and extras in the movie, as well as the interviewers on the scene today.

In the historical year of 1998, a great female writer defeated evil and rebellion with justice here.

In 2007 of this life, a great movie recreated this historic scene, with the two heroines smiling at each other on and off the stage.

Several retake shots went by extremely smoothly. The anticipation of everyone on the scene, especially the crew members, reached its peak at this moment, and they all looked at the figure behind the monitor.

They have been waiting for the word "wrap up" for a long time.

Lu Kuan, who was usually calm, seemed to have lost his composure. The muffled sound of a walkie-talkie accidentally falling to the ground broke the silence.

He raised his head and quickly locked onto the face in the audience.

Lu Kuan stepped forward and handed over the loudspeaker, smiling and saying, "Sister Chunru, are you coming?"

Zhang Chunru was stunned for two seconds, her eyes, which were already red with tears in the whole shot, and then she took the loudspeaker neatly and quickly.

Her voice was as firm as hers during the 1998 debate without a trace of trembling.

"The Sky of History, filming completed!"

There were some minor accidents at the scene. The photography lights on the ceiling suddenly went out, and someone seemed to be making suppressed sobs in the darkness.

Three seconds later, the roar of the diesel generator, accompanied by thousands of watts of light, exploded again, and all the figures turned into swaying silhouettes in the dazzling white light.

The studio was in an uproar.

Lu Yang and Guo Fan started to make a fuss, Zhao Fei opened his eyes, and gathered the props, lighting, and stage staff together to approach with bad intentions, throwing director Lu Kuan into the sky and then dropping him down.

Cheers loudly, over and over again.

Liu Yifei shook hands with Watanabe Ken on the stage and talked for a few words. She also walked over wiping her tears and hugged Zhang Chunru tightly in the audience.

Reporters recorded all of this with their cameras and lenses. Zhang Chunru and Liu Yifei in the camera looked very similar, like an elder sister and her younger sister.

The same slender figure, similar face shape and deliberate movie makeup, clear and bright eyes, and more importantly, the same clean and passionate soul.

Concubine Liu Yi's chin hit her elder sister's shoulder and she burst into tears.

"Sister Chunru, thank you! Thank you!"

Zhang Chunru wiped away her tears, but she couldn't control her own tears: "Xixi, I should be the one to say thank you."

"I want to thank you and Lu Kuan, and all my friends in the crew, for helping me fulfill this wish."

"You endured the pain for me, yet let me sit in the audience and enjoy this masterpiece. I simply can't describe how I feel right now..."

The patriotic female writer interrupted her statement with sobs, and the powerful voice she had used in the face of the enemy turned into endless love and tenderness at this moment.

What she never told anyone was the torment and pain she had experienced in the previous few years.

Long-term use of psychiatric drugs and the ubiquitous right-wing concerns almost made her think of suicide.

The Chinese often say that when you die, you die.

This is not a negative fatalism, nor is it a reckless disregard for life and death, but rather facing the ultimate question of life and death with a balance of reason and emotion after understanding the limitations of life.

For Zhang Chunru at that time, she felt that she had completed her mission, and in order to escape the pain, she sadly embarked on the road of no return.

But today, it seems that as she said, it was because of the other Zhang Chunru played by Liu Yifei who shared the torture with her that Zhang Chunru's own psychological illness was getting better day by day.

The scorching midday sun shone into the studio, filling Zhang Chunru with warmth as she held Xiao Liu's cheek and wiped away her tears.

She had long given up the idea of ​​committing suicide and wanted to keep going.

She wanted to see the movie come out and see it become as famous as Schindler's List.

Through this film, which is destined to go down in history, she wants to continue to speak out for the just cause of clarifying history and calling for peace.

She also wanted to watch the Peking Olympics directed by Lu Kuan, to see the homeland that was not her nationality marked on her ID but was always flowing in her blood.

Zhang Chunru's parents and Liu Xiaoli also burst into tears watching this.

They all cherish and support their daughters so much, and are moved by their truth, goodness and beauty. They feel that now is the best ending.

The crowd surrounding the young director not far away gradually dispersed, and Lu Yang, as the deputy director, directed everyone to clean up the venue.

Cyber ​​Daji smiled and handed him a cigarette. He didn't know that the young dean of the Film Academy had quit smoking.

"Director Lu, would you like one?"

Boss Lu took it with a smile, seemingly ignoring his girlfriend's good intentions. He just lit it up and stopped smoking. He put it in Zhang Chunru's book "The Nanjing Massacre".

He left quietly and prepared to be interviewed by reporters.

The cigarette butt was sticking out, and wisps of white smoke were rising and dissipating.

Guo Fan looked at the young director's back in confusion, but he didn't know that he was using this way of paying tribute to express his remembrance and comfort to the great soul of another time and space in his heart.

"Ms. Chang Iris, history has been vindicated, China is rising, please rest in peace."

A single cigarette cannot burn out.

Lu Kuan went to be interviewed. Guo Fan, who was always careful in his work, carefully took out the half-smoked cigarette and shook off the ashes on the book.

This original work by Zhang Chunru, which served as the crew's material, was opened, and there seemed to be a small poem written by an unknown author on the title page.

Guo Fan took a glance and recognized that it was somewhat similar to the handwriting on his admission letter. It should be Boss Lu's handwriting.

Travel thousands of miles to search for the truth and uncover the ghost realm, and a heart full of green blood will be dyed with lotus heart.

The bright iron scroll burns the monsters, and the bright eyebrows illuminate the ocean.

In 2003, in Berlin, I received a book as a gift from Ms. Iris Chang, and I had some thoughts about this in the middle of the night.
-
Because of Liu Yifei's actress-level performance, the originally planned wrap-up dinner was temporarily changed to a wrap-up lunch.

A simple press interview was being prepared at the conference hall of the St. Regis Hotel.

"The Sky of History" has officially finished filming, whether it is to build momentum for the Berlin Film Festival and the Oscars, or to preheat and promote the film's release in advance.

From now on, it will appear in the audience's field of vision regularly.

Boss Lu and Xiao Liu put on simple makeup backstage.

Liu Yifei's eyes were still red: "Why did I seem to see you smoking just now?"

"Absolutely impossible. If you don't believe me, ask Guo Fan. I scolded him for offering me a cigarette!"

Lu Kuan looked at himself in the makeup mirror without looking away, and spoke confidently.

With the makeup artist present, Liu Yifei didn't want to say anything in front of outsiders. She smiled and glanced at him, the meaning in her eyes was self-evident.

The washing machine is helpless and has relapsed like it did last time. Why is it now acting like it is crying wolf?
I told all the lies and you believed them all.

It's simple, I didn't smoke, but you always don't believe it...

The St. Regis Hotel is a top hotel in Washington, and it quickly arranged the venue for the press conference.

Lu Kuan, Tom Hanks, Moore, Liu Yifei and other main creators entered the stage with applause, killing countless films of cameras and long guns on the scene.

There were also fans of Zhang Chunru's books, Liu Xiaoyu's movies, and Twitter and YouTube followers who came to the scene spontaneously to show their support. Chinese and even Korean students were calling out the names of several people outside the cordon.

There was no host for the simple interview. Boss Lu took the microphone himself and said, "Thank you all for coming. The filming is finished today. We invite you to have dinner here later. Please ask questions in an orderly manner."

"The Hollywood Film Report" reporter: "Lu, the publicized cost of the film when it started was approximately $4500 million, which is high for a film of this genre. Is there a risk of losing money?"

Lu Kuan smiled and nodded: "We are not worried about this."

"First of all, I want to thank Mr. Hanks and Ms. Moore. They took a pay cut to appear in this film. The combined salary is less than 300 million. This gives us a lot of money to improve the film's post-production, props, soundtrack, and even subsequent publicity."

"In addition, thanks to our partners in Asia such as CJ, Toho, and Q&A, and in Hollywood such as Lionsgate, Disney, and Miramax, the cost of promoting and distributing movies in the future will not be too high. Coupled with Netflix's DVD distribution resources, we are confident in the profitability of the film." "Schindler's List" in 1993 cost $2200 million to produce and grossed around $3.22 million worldwide.

However, the film had the support of the Jewish world and was re-broadcast thanks to its Academy Award and Golden Globe Awards in 1994, which led to the box office results it achieved.

For "The Sky of History", all distribution channels are fully open.

In particular, all aspects of promotion and marketing in China will be operated at cost price, while in North America, new Internet tools such as Twitter and YouTube will be used.

Although the profit expectations in the project evaluation are not too high, there is no risk of loss. The only variable now is whether it can achieve success in Berlin and the Oscars.

Based on past experience, if the film wins top awards, it will bring in more than $5000 million in additional box office revenue and revenue in theaters and DVDs.

This is also an important bargaining chip for non-genre films in terms of profitability, and it has always been the case.

Asahi Shimbun reporter: "How do you handle the presentation of historical issues in the film? Are you worried that the film will cause diplomatic controversy or hurt the feelings of the people of both countries?"

"Historical issues require a serious approach. We not only have historical writers like Ms. Iris Chang, but also a team of historical consultants from China, Japan, South Korea, and North America. When it comes to historical issues, even the design of a button on a military uniform has reliable historical evidence."

"As the film's promotion begins, we will publish all historical truth evidence involved in the film on the official website of 'History's Sky'. Please read it."

Lu Kuan immediately said seriously, "As for the diplomatic controversy you mentioned, I'm just a director. I don't understand or have any interest in it. This was definitely not my original intention."

"But this film will never hurt the feelings of the people of the two countries as you said. As for the film itself, it has received a lot of support from Japanese and Belgian friends."

"Ken Watanabe is a top Japanese actor. He made a three-minute cameo appearance in the film, and the famous Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto composed the film's music."

"I once asked them if they were worried about controversy, and Mr. Watanabe told me that playing this role was like eating wasabi, spicy enough to make you cry, but refreshing."

"Mr. Sakamoto Ryuichi told me that piano keys have no nationality, and his music was written simply to promote the peace advocated in the film."

"I have many Japanese friends, and I believe the feelings between the two peoples will not be hindered by a film about history, but only by a lack of communication..."

He paused. "And the filming itself was disrupted by terrorist acts by a very small number of diehards. This is a dangerous factor that we must resolutely resist."

Before he finished speaking, anti-war organization members and Asian people at the scene all applauded, affirming the Chinese director's speech.

Xiao Liu suffers from dissociative aphasia, which can indeed be regarded as a "torture tactic" that goes wrong in and out.

At least after this, the propaganda war between "The Sky of History" and the hostile forces completely tilted to one side. Who would not sympathize and empathize with such a beautiful and kind girl?
Especially in contrast, the methods and faces of the Japanese right-wingers are so ugly.

A reporter from Variety asked Hanks, "Mr. Movie King, what do you think of working with Director Lu Kuan?"

Tom Hanks exchanged glances with Lu and recalled with a touch of regret, "In our first scene at Jinling, he showed me the details of a top director. Throughout the filming of the movie, I was impressed by his and the crew's dedication and professionalism. Lu reminded me of many directors I've worked with before."

"He has the same respect for historical films as Spielberg in 'Saving Private Ryan.' When I was filming the Nanjing Street Fight, what was sprayed on my suit wasn't artificial plasma, but Nanjing red soil mixed with rust, as well as archival footage from actual location shooting, etc."

The reporter turned to Moore again and continued to give him the usual praise.

China Film Report reporter: "Director Lu, what are the plans for the film's post-production and release date? What film festival honors are you planning to compete for?"

"The post-production time is estimated to be around 4 months, including a lot of editing and music for the war scenes. Because the scheduling of large-scale scenes is quite difficult, there is even the possibility of reshoots."

"So it's a shame that it won't be published on the 70th anniversary of the loss of our compatriots."

"However, the film has now been confirmed to be submitted for the Berlin Film Festival and next year's Oscars. We will organize screenings in mainland China and North America at the end of December to meet the submission requirements."

The young director paused and said, "This time we will participate in the exhibition as an English film and will not take up the quota for co-productions."

The knowledgeable film professionals in the audience all had their eyes light up, knowing that this was a big push to win an Oscar.

Whether it is a nomination or an award, for the film and Lu Kuan himself, it is not only additional financial income, but also an important aid in promoting the film and clarifying history.

Even if nothing is lost in the end, at least the momentum has been generated and it can attract more audiences to the cinema.

Qi Heng from the Xinhua News Agency's North American bureau also attended the event and raised his hand to ask, "Director Lu, given Ms. Chang's book, why did you decide to make this film?"

"Films and books are different media, with different dissemination channels and public opinion influences. 'The Sky of History' uses Ms. Chang Chun-ju's personal experience as a framework to connect numerous historical events."

"Her books are like scalpels dissecting history, and The Sky of History is the searchlight. We are responsible for illuminating everyone's vision and allowing the audience to see every detail of history clearly."

The audience was filled with North America's top film media and personal interview media, and they were all impressed by the young director's exquisite metaphors and fluent responses.

Even a newspaper like the Asahi Shimbun, which has a questionable stance, has to admit that it is almost impossible to find mistakes or set traps for this wealthy director on a big scale.

Several questions were asked in a row, all of which were quite serious. Finally, a question from a familiar face from the mainland brought some pink atmosphere.

Han Lu from Xinlang Entertainment: "Hello, Princess Yi."

Xiao Liu was still watching her boyfriend speak with a silly smile on her face when she was suddenly Cueed.

"Hello, Han Lu."

Han Lu met Xiao Liu in Venice in 2002. At that time, she was one of Xinlang’s first overseas correspondents, and 15-year-old Liu Yifei was attending a film festival for the first time.

Reporter Xinlang was very polite, like a fan chasing gossip: "My question might be a bit presumptuous, if it's inconvenient, please skip it..."

Xiao Liu smiled and nodded at her, motioning her to continue.

"I'd like to ask when Yi Fei and Director Lu got together. Are there any details about their relationship you can share? What are their future plans for their careers and relationships?"

There was applause and cheers from the audience, and Tom Hanks on the stage also joked: "Actually, we are curious too."

The noise from the audience became even louder. Putting aside the previous series of more serious and depressing questions, who doesn't love gossip?
Liu Xiaoli, Zhang Chunru and other relatives and friends all smiled, and they were actually very curious about the reasons behind this development.

Liu Yifei glanced at the washing machine shyly and said carefully, "Lu Kuan and I have known each other since 2001. He took good care of me on the set and was a teacher and brother worthy of respect."

Xiao Liu is a master at telling lies.

Without blushing or getting nervous, the numbers in these three sentences are true.

Take care of you?
It seems like he's not the one who scolds you and makes you cry five or six times a day...

Respect him?
It’s probably not you who’s promoting the name of the washing machine everywhere and using the account [轧路姬] to smear it on your blog…

As for the teacher and brother——

Maybe you both don't think so?

"During the filming process, I encountered some unpleasant things and my mental state was also very bad, so he accompanied me to Italy to relax."

“It was during this journey that we naturally came together.”

"The rest..."

Xiao Liu pursed his lips, looking at the washing machine that was calm and composed, and felt unhappy. "The last question, Director Lu Kuan, please answer it for you!"

Humph! Let me see what you have to say!
Han Lu looked expectant: "Okay, okay!"

She herself didn't dare to ask Boss Lu directly, but now...

Who doesn’t expect the washing machine, which is well-known in the domestic entertainment industry, to give a clear answer to this kind of question?

"what?"

To be honest, Lu Kuan was indeed distracted just now.

He was thinking about discussing Oscar public relations with Harvey and others at the wrap party.

Han Lu noticed his absent-minded state and patiently repeated, "Director Lu, what are your prospects and expectations for your relationship and career with Miss Liu after this film is over?"

Boss Lu took the microphone silently, and could feel the expectant look of Liu Yifei next to him from the corner of his eye.

Han Lu, which unit are you from?

Just asking a stupid question.

Washing Machine remained calm and said, "I will take a year off from acting and devote myself to the Olympic work in Beijing."

"Xiao Liu has her own plans for her career. She's very independent, so I won't interfere."

After this evasive speech, he was about to put down the microphone. Han Lu thought that he had finally given up, so she bravely asked, "Director Lu, what are your future plans for your relationship?"

Boss Lu smiled and said, "Let's have a good relationship. Is reporter Han still single? Why are you so curious about this question? How about I introduce you to someone?"

There was a burst of laughter from the audience. Han Lu felt a little embarrassed and didn't dare to ask any more questions.

The simple interview ended quickly, and the wrap-up banquet at noon was mostly attended by relatives, friends and close relatives, without any fanfare.

The host Lu Kuan socialized for a while, and Harvey excitedly pulled him to a corner and whispered:

"Lu, I've already dealt with the people you told me about last time."

"You're absolutely right! That Agendo actually still has the recording! I bought it and signed a settlement agreement."

Asia Argento and Lucia Evans were the first actresses to expose Harvey through The New Yorker in 2017.

In 1997, during the Cannes Film Festival, 21-year-old Argento was lured by Harvey to a hotel and committed indecent acts. He later became a leading figure in the #MeToo movement.

Whether they are in collusion or robbing the poor to help the rich, Lu Kuan cannot let Harvey fail too early for the time being.

He has close ties with some prominent figures in the Democratic Party, especially the "mastermind" behind the beneficiary of the CDS that Boss Lu is about to set up.

He is also a powerful figure in Hollywood, and a powerful arm for Lu Kuan and North American entertainment industry to truly take root in the North American entertainment industry starting from Netflix and the entertainment industry.

Harvey's black glove can be of great help if used well.

But it requires an existence that can overwhelm the west wind in terms of ability, wealth, vision and momentum, such as a wide road.

Even when innocent people were about to be affected, he was able to extricate himself perfectly.

In short, this Jewish An Lushan is just making trouble in Hollywood, and Boss Lu does not have such a strong sense of morality and wants to enforce justice in North America.

These white Jews, rednecks, and the old men from this island or that island, you can do whatever you want.

Just don't mess with me.

Boss Lu looked at Harvey, who looked like he had just survived a disaster. "Is it just one person who can record a video? Think about it again. The Chinese say that it's better to be safe than sorry. It's always good to be cautious."

The Jew nodded and took out a cigarette from his pocket.

Like Guo Fan, he didn't know that this old smoker was already in the early stages of being "henpecked".

Xiao Liu appeared out of nowhere and stood next to her boyfriend: "Harvey, Lu Kuan has quit smoking."

Quentin saw these two friends chatting in a corner and taking out cigarettes. He was about to go over to have a cigarette and chat for a while when he was caught off guard by Liu Yifei's smiling notification.

The two men moved in unison, looking up and down at Lu Kuan, who looked calm.

Are you OK?

Quitting smoking? Planning to have a baby?
Which serious director would get married and have children?
Have you been to the island? Have you had enough of the silver party?
The young director clenched his fist in front of his mouth and coughed lightly, then raised his glass to the two of them: "Smoking is harmful to your health, so drinking some red wine is good."

Looking at the graceful Concubine Liu Yi beside him, and then looking at Lu Kuan who looked fearless but had no intention of accepting the cigarette at all...

The Jewish An Lushan and the foot-control perverted director fell silent.

Especially Harvey, he didn't understand.

When he was penniless, he was able to wield a knife from the University of Tokyo to the North American film industry, first killing himself and then plotting against Disney. He is a mysterious religious ruthless person.

How did this talented director, who had a hard time raising a budget of just a few hundred thousand dollars for his first film, turn around and directly launch a $7500 million sci-fi blockbuster, end up in this situation?

How could the wealthy man who had just been so majestic and impressive in front of him suddenly be captured by this pretty and lovely girl?

This beaver?

If so...

What about the Crazy Girls strip club we used to hang out at on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles?
So what about the Miss Caribbean pageant we held in the outdoor swimming pool of our Beverly Hills mansion?
Then we were at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, smoking the only legally sold Cristal cigars in the world, listening to the Cuban musicians behind the bar improvising jazz, the smoke resonating with the saxophone!
What is that?!

The two Hollywood tough guys, one fat and one thin, watched the Chinese couple walk away in silence.

Even if the oriental beauty who turned around and nodded politely to them was as beautiful as a fairy, it was difficult to hide their regret for losing their bad friends.

What night is without the moon? What place is without bamboo and cypress?

But there are few people like us who have time to spare.

Harvey was the first to break the silence: "I never thought the road would become like this now."

"No wonder he asked me to handle it... Maybe he's already retired."

Quentin also shook his head in boredom. There was one less person with whom he could talk about art and drink and indulge in his spare time.

Having watched countless movies, he suddenly recalled a scene and lines from a Hong Kong movie that he liked very much.

At the end of "A Chinese Odyssey", after the sunset warrior kissed the Zixia Fairy on the city wall, he looked at the back of the reincarnated Zhizunbao leading the horse away.

That person looks like a dog.
-
Boss Lu is certainly not a dog, but he is like the Supreme Treasure with a golden hoop on his head.

After putting on the golden hoop, Zhizunbao changed from a dissolute bandit to the Monkey King who needed to take on emotional responsibilities.

Fortunately, he did not have to face the decision made when he saw the Bull Demon King kill Zixia in the movie.

I can’t save you without the golden hoop, and I can’t love you with the golden hoop.

The golden hoop that Concubine Liu Yi put on him was precisely to tell him to love only herself for the rest of his life.

Of course, she will always do this before the other person.

"Why is your face so red? Did you drink a few glasses of wine?"

Xiao Liu said innocently, "I didn't drink much. I was waiting for you to finish your social event. I only came over when I saw Harvey offering you a cigarette."

"If you can't explain it, just let me be the bad guy. I'm willing to do it."

Lu Kuan smiled without saying anything, and pinched her pretty, smooth chin affectionately: "Hurry up and say whatever you want to say, because we have something important to do tonight."

The washing machine has been sitting there for three or four days, and to replace the awkwardness, I am now doing the one-shot guidance and rehearsal work.

The girlfriend giggled and slapped his hand away: "I told my mother!"

"what?"

Liu Yifei put her arm around his. "That's the plan. After completing the credits, I'll return to Peking. Then, I'll study diligently for a year at the People's Art Theatre to digest the experience, emotions, and performance details of this film."

The girl smiled brightly, "I mainly told her... I want to live with you, and Ms. Liu agreed! Haha!"

"We have a house next door, and I've already started arranging furniture and appliances for my mother to live in. It's very close, and she can walk here in less than a minute from the garden."

"Then I'll ask the nanny at the Changping villa to bring my cats and dogs over. It will be so nice to have such a large space for them to run around!"

The water that has been poured out has already made it clear what happened to his old mother.

It seems that she is determined to live in a world of two.

Lu Kuan took a sip of the scarlet wine and teased, "Then study hard. Once you complete the credits, you'll be a graduate student, a highly educated talent!"

Xiao Liu raised an eyebrow at him: "If you don't even know me, with my current level, can I get a job in your company?"

"Fuck the president, let's do it tonight."

"Fuck you, I'm serious."

Lu Kuan thought seriously for a few seconds: "You do have a perspective and way of thinking when dealing with things now."

"But the actual chores are very tedious and complicated. You can't just follow what I've learned or study for a few days. There are many things I don't understand at all."

"So I basically don't get involved in blogs and Weibo. I leave professional matters to professionals."

He suddenly remembered something: "But next year I may not have much time to take care of the company's affairs. You should be free and can help me."

Due to the busy Olympic affairs, Zhang Yimou, who later served as the chief director, stayed in the Olympic Building for the longest time without going home for a week.

Besides, the security and confidentiality levels in the Olympic Building were very high, and many reports from the media could not come in, nor could he leave.

How busy could Liu Yifei be at the People's Art Theatre? It's nothing more than rehearsing plays.

If it weren't for her, I really wouldn't know who to take over Lu Kuan.

The cocktail party ended quickly and Boss Lu stayed in North America for another two days.

He handled business work in the North American industry, including the reorganization and development of Twitter and Netflix, and met with Paulson secretly.

Then he paid attention to the film projects currently in production, such as "Twilight 2" and "Iron Man", and discussed with Harvey and others the future promotion and award-winning matters of "The Sky of History" in North America.

On August 2007, 8, the contrail of a Boeing 4 drew two white lines in the stratosphere, as if God was using chalk to solve a geometry problem about the way home.

After being away from his homeland for more than half a year, the wanderer returns home.

(End of this chapter)